HMS Victory masts to be removed in conservation project
The move is part of the latest phase of a ten-year £42m project, dubbed The Big Repair.
www.bbc.comHere are the latest updates on HMS Victory:
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A major conservation effort called The Big Repair is ongoing at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, with masts scheduled to be removed as part of the next phase. This marks a significant milestone in a ten-year, £42 million restoration program that aims to preserve the ship for future generations [news coverage from April 2026]. The project is coordinated with the National Museum of the Royal Navy and coincides with commemorations of Victory’s long service life [BBC coverage; Royal Navy sources].
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The mast removal is planned to happen over a few overnight operations using heavy lifting gear, as teams carefully detach the foremast, mainmast, and bowsprit while ensuring safety and structural integrity. This step is notable because it’s the first time the ship will be without all masts since the 1890s, signaling a major access point for interior conservation work [BBC article; GB News piece].
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Public access continues to be available to Victory’s decks, with experts explaining that the work balances preservation needs with maintaining a living museum experience. The broader program uses advanced techniques and timber restoration to stabilize the vessel for the long term [NMRN information hub; Portsmouth Dockyard pages].
Illustration (what to expect visually):
- Overhead crane lifting masts away from the ship at Portsmouth, with Victory appearing without its masts adjacent to the hull as crews work on a multi-year restoration.
If you’d like, I can pull the most current official statements or provide a short timeline of the key milestones in The Big Repair. I can also summarize what the mast removal means for upcoming conservation steps and visitor access.
Citations:
- BBC News: HMS Victory masts to be removed in conservation project[1]
- GB News: Lord Nelson's flagship HMS Victory to have masts removed[3]
- National Museum of the Royal Navy: HMS Victory – The Big Repair Information Hub[7]
- Portsmouth Historic Dockyard / NMRN pages on current visit and conservation work[8][10]